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“The Best Thing That Ever Happened”: Former Steelers Coach Shares Honest Thoughts on Being Fired by Mike Tomlin

For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers maintained that then-offensive coordinator Bruce Arians had opted to retire. But Arians later clarified that Mike Tomlin had effectively fired him by letting his contract expire. Although he told HBO’s “Real Sports” that he felt…

By Arundhoti Palit · Essentially Sports

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 3:39 AM

Key Things to Know

Bruce Arians stated that getting fired by Mike Tomlin was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.
Arians noted that being let go by the Steelers opened the path to becoming an NFL head coach.
He won AP NFL Coach of the Year honors with Indianapolis and Arizona following his departure from Pittsburgh.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians reflected on being dismissed by head coach Mike Tomlin, calling it the best thing that ever happened to his career. Speaking on Cam Heyward's podcast, Arians explained that despite initial disappointment following Pittsburgh's decision not to extend his contract after the 2011 season, the move ultimately allowed him to fulfill head-coaching opportunities across the NFL.

Arians subsequently served as interim head coach for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 before securing head-coaching stints with the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His subsequent coaching journey earned him two AP NFL Coach of the Year honors and a Super Bowl LV championship with Tampa Bay.

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